Apr 2, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Wesley Matthews (23) warms up before game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
This era of the Milwaukee Bucks may have come to an end with an embarrassing first-round loss to the Miami Heat. Big roster changes could be on the way.
An injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo played an enormous role in the Bucks’ first-round collapse to the Heat, but it was far from the only problem. The shortcomings of the roster — consistent outside shooting, secondary creation, defensive depth — were repeatedly exposed, and a slew of questionable coaching decisions by Mike Budenholzer kept the Bucks in the holes they dug for themselves.
As they enter the offseason, everything would appear to be on the table, everyone’s role considered, including Budenholzer and long-time stalwarts like Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton. The Bucks also have a slew of difficult choices to make this offseason with a half-dozen unrestricted free agents from their extended rotation, including Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder, Joe Ingles, Goran Dragic and Wesley Matthews.
Those might not be the only players leaving the Bucks this offseason but they are certainly a good place to start.
These Milwaukee Bucks won’t be back next season:
3. Wesley Matthews
Matthews has had his moments with the Bucks, but those moments mostly seem to have passed. At 36, he’s nowhere near the defender he used to be and he’s shot just 38.2 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from beyond the arc over the past two seasons.
The Bucks desperately need 3-and-D wings around Giannis, ideally those with the athleticism to run in transition and a little bit of creation upside to attack when the defense is bent. At this point, Matthews doesn’t really check any of those boxes and it’s hard to imagine he’s worth a roster spot just for his veteran experience.